Down the Idol-hole: From Teeny-bop Magz, Fanzines to 24/7 Updates

Falling down the idol-hole

With the birth of the Internet a new way of sharing and expressing information was born. When it came to idols and their fans; a platform was built for idols to gain more fans and for fans to be able to have more access to their idols.

Today, as a star, there is an enormous audience waiting to see what you have to offer. The term “the world is your oyster” has literary become a reality with platforms such as YouTube and MySpace. When more and more people spend their time online, browsing through new uploaded videos or just reading what other people say about anything; to find yourself hooked to something in form of music, film or whatever nonsense there is out there, it’s not that hard.

There is no doubt that fans become fans for a reason. Be it that a musician is very cute or sings lovely songs; to an action star that is the epitome of a “manly” man. Gradually, fans start to find great comfort in the idols they love, they are a source of happiness and are often what fans dream of having in a partner/best friend. Then, with 24/7 exposure to them, it is not hard to find more and more of something “unique” that appeals to them. The idols become as natural to fans seeing as they are always inside their computers. As fans search for more about the idols, they meet others that share the same passions in forums, blogs, and communities. To be able to find a friend that shares your opinions is not hard.

Fans share stories, hopes and fantasies. Fans read what others have written about them, fanfics appear, fanvids are everywhere. There is always something to discuss about (be it as minimal as what the idol wore around his neck), and someone to discuss it with. Fans are never alone in their idol-love and that can be a great, until something clouds a fan’s spazz parade.

When too much becomes a burden

In being able to always vent your feelings and desires, fans walk down a path where the reality and fantasy is blurred. Seeing as fans are constantly shoved new information about their beloved idols; fans start to see them as a part of themselves, they get to know all about them and fans grow the sense that they can understand them. A sense of familiarity is grown from this overexposure, they become experts on their idols facial expressions judging from a single paparazzi photo, and they understand that they are having a bad day from an interview.

When there are so many different outlets of media to analyze, the fan is not far from becoming a bit obsessed. The idols become like friends, fans feel connected seeing as today more than never, idols get in touch with their fans through uploaded video greetings or statements put on fanforums. And when something becomes so personal to us, there is really no difficulty in starting to hate what we love. It takes a mere photo taken on a wrong angle, the strong opinion of an anonymous Internet persona or the fact that you wish for something to occur in a certain way and the opposite is the outcome. When rumors, speculations and the random “fan-account” are splashed on your screen is when the dream can become a nightmare.

We are enamored with what we see through the safety of our screen, we are forced to make our own conclusions about what we see and therefore make up a picture that is perfect for us but, most of the time, so far from the truth. We let ourselves pour so much emotion and hope into the idol persona being presented to us that when our needs are not met, that is when affection often turns into despise.

Nowadays, opinions are changed as fast as new updates are made. We are not safe from what others say about a certain matter, therefore, nor are our feelings safe; we are prone to be swept away by illicit comments and believe them to be true. Adding fuel to the fire is the fast pace in which information is shared; one second something is good, then you update five seconds later and it has become something bad. We are unable to control the information given to us and how it is delivered. A fan is always dependent on others when it comes to information, a malicious circle of rumors and speculations is never far away.